Friday, March 8, 2013

Band Of Outsiders

The lovely Anna Karina starred in Band of Outsiders in 1964. She didn't even know French that well. Anna is originally from Denmark, but this is one actress who immersed herself into French. She was Jean-Luc Godard's muse who directed Band of Outsiders. They even got married.

Odile and Franz found themselves learning English together. A mutual goal. Unfortunately, she didn't know the type of people he was hanging out with.

Its a simple story, really. Naive girl meets an introvert and an extravert who talks her in to doing something very bad. Steal money from her Aunt's house where she lives. In the course of the movie, we see who Odile will choose. Very bad influence Arthur or the somber yet thoughtful Franz. Franz is played by Sami Frey who would later become Bridget Bardot's companion.

The Madison most definitely was made popular by this scene in recent years, anyway. Anna claims they didn't really know how to dance.They went to a lot of clubs back then to get the genuine technique down. I have to say this is one of my favorite parts of the movie. The director definitely gave definition to hipster.

I recently watched THE GO-GETTER and you'll find THE MADISON scene in that movie.

Although, there was a lot more to the movie than dancing moves. It was a movie showing you a way of life in Paris. Perhaps, not one of fine dining and fashion, but day to day life. How did one get by? Of course, you might ask yourself.. how did Franz afford that convertible he drove (where the hood seldom ever wanted to come up). What I loved about this movie was the complicated characters. Naturally, I found Franz dreamy, but here Odile was going for the guy who would dare her and tell her all the ugly things he might do in this world. What did she see in him? His honesty? Or the idea of being bad? I kept wanting to shout back..NO NO NO...

Don't worry, its not a threesome. Yet, in one sense it possibly has the mechanics of a threesome. She has to choose. Its more or less a games of Heads or Tails. Yet as the movie progresses..so does the darker side of the story. And perhaps these three are a layer of the movie. There is a bigger picture here. Although, you might not notice at first glance while watching the film. But it most definitely has a world with in a world feel to it.

I loved how the movie was philosophical. How we see who really loves Odile as things become bleak.They soon find themselves getting through something by the skin of their teeth.

The movie was based on Dolores Hitchen's "Fool's Gold", yet Anna and the boys expressed how to make the characters more of their own. Anna chose an old country hairstyle for Odile in the beginning of the movie.

I'm sure you've seen the inspiration of this scene in other movies....to be young and free... in the Louvre.